Chapter 3

• Nathan walked out of his last class for the day tiredly, he has practice soon but he could feel that he wasn’t in the mood so he decided to go meet his coach and take an excuse. He was already dreading the boring weekend he was going to have and somehow, he wished that the day was Monday rather than Friday. He doesn’t like spending much time in school but he would choose school over staying at home and doing absolutely nothing but staying in his room and throwing balls into the hoop.
• He walked to his locker to get his backpack and ball and head home to his boring life but then thought about asking Steven to stay over, but remembering their talk this morning, he doesn’t know if he would love to spend a whole full night with Steven, he was sure as hell going to lecture his ears off.
• There was suddenly a commotion; students were rushing through the hall to the outside and all of them glancing at him. He furrowed his brows, wondering what was with them but not caring much, he was used to being the center of attraction after all.
• “Dude, you got to see this,” Steven shouted from the front door.
• Nathan raised his eyebrow, “what’s that?”
• “Not something I can explain, you need to see this. Hurry up here you piece of shit.”
• Rolling his eyes, Nathan picked his backpack and ball, he slammed the door and hung his bag loosely on his shoulder before walking up to Steven in an unhurried pace, making the black boy want to scream. “What is it?” he asked lazily.
• “Don’t worry, you are going to regret not hurrying after seeing what I want to show you,” he said, grabbing his hand and dragging him out of the hall. “Check that out,” he said, pointing at a spot in the student parking lot.
• Nathan was confused, he couldn’t see what he was trying to show him but he could see a lot students gathered and watching something. Then he saw it, balloons, lots and lots of balloons. And the most shocking thing was that the biggest of the balloons was the heart shaped red one and written in bold white was ‘I’m so sorry Nathan-Boo’ The name struck him for only person, only one particular person calls him that.
• Just then, the clustered students cleared and he saw her, she was dressed in her flight attendant attire, looking as beautiful as ever that she took his breath away. His heart started beating so fast that he thought he would go into shock. She stood there, her eyes searching frantically around the clustered students and when they finally settled on him, he saw the hazel eyes brightened and then the warmest smile that made him feel like he was boiling all over spread across her face.
• “Well, don’t just stand there, I know you want to go to her, you have been moody for the past two weeks and now finally she is here with the most grand gesture I have ever seen and you are just going to stand there?”
• Nathan blushed so hard seeing how she was waving at him, sometimes he often forget her age because of how she acts. She is so carefree and jovial and added with her small stature, if she was dressed in casual clothes, one would have mistaken her as a student. He walked up to her slowly with the students watching him. He was always the center of attraction and he was used to being in the spotlight, but now, with her standing there and him walking up to her with the students watching, he had the craziest imagination that he was walking down the aisle to marry her and that thought made him blush so hard that he couldn’t keep his face up.
• “Nathan-Boo,” Tracy shouted, throwing her arms around him so tightly when he was close enough, “I have missed you.”
• “What are you doing?” he asked with a light chuckle.
• “What does it look like? I’m apologizing for missing our date two weeks ago, and guess what, I’m apologizing with a grand gesture.”
• “Yeah, with balloons.”
• “Of course, it’s special and look at that big red one.”
• “You mean the one that clearly have Nathan-Boo written on it?”
• “That’s what I call you, and you always love it when I do. Or you don’t love it anymore?”
• “Of course I do, it’s just,” he chuckled lightly, “we are in school and everyone is looking at us and everyone has seen that.”
• “Oh I get it, and as the captain of the basket ball team and also the baddest and most desired boy in school, it’s kind of embarrassing for you right? That’s good, that would show them that you are mine.”
• Something about the way she said ‘mine’ tickled his heart, “what did you just say?”
• “That you are mine, you know, if anyone messes with you, I will give them the kick. I still know taekwondo,” she chuckled, “and you doing anything after school?”
• “I’m supposed to go for practice but, I’m more interested with what you have planned.”
• “That’s my boy, hop in, oh before I forget, here are your balloons,” she handed him the strings.
• “Come on Tracy, what would I be doing with those?”
• “Aww, I spent good amount of fortune on these,” she looked somber.
• “Alright then, what if I take the biggest one and you let the others go?”
• “That would be so sweet Nathan-Boo,” she kissed his cheek and quickly sort out the string of the biggest balloon and handed it to him while letting the others go. Everyone gasped watching as the color red and white filled the sky. Nathan smiled affectionately at her when she winked at him and then got into her red BMW.
• “Hey Nathan, where are you going, we have practice,” Steven shouted running after him.
• “Tell Coach I couldn’t make it,” Nathan shouted back and got into the car. Tracy started the engine and left the school premises while he was all smile. Just having her around was enough to lighten his mood.
• “So, where to?” she asked, removing her hat and her brown wavy hair sprang free. He stared at it mesmerized; he always loved the idea of catching the strands in his palm and taking a deep breath, filling his nostrils with the coconut shampoo she always used. “Nathan?” she glanced at him while taking off her tie.
• “Huh?” he asked being called out of his reverie.
• Tracy chuckled softly, “I said, where to?” she started unbuttoning her shirt and smiled at him apologetically, “sorry, I drove straight to your school after the plane landed. I only made a quick stop to get those balloons for you because I know you must be very angry with me. But I’m sorry Nathan, if you listen to my reason, you will understand why I did what I did. Care to take the wheel?”
• “I haven’t gotten my license.”
• “Ah don’t worry, I’m sure we won’t be seeing any cops around and you wouldn’t want me walking into anywhere dressed like this. That’s like saying ‘hello everyone, I’m a flight attendant,” she laughed, pulling over by the street.
• Nathan rolled his eyes but smiled and got down from the car when she parked, as they switched places, she ruffled his hair, “stop doing that.”
• “Doing what?” she feigned ignorance as he pulled into the street and she reached for her backpack on the backseat.
• “Ruffling my hair, I’m way older than that you know.”
• “Oh please, no matter how old you get, you will always be my Nathan-Boo,” she pulled his cheek while making smooches sound with her mouth.
• Nathan chuckled and pushed her hand way while he watched from the corner of his eyes as she fetched out a top from her backpack. He watched her take off her shirt and in nothing but her brassieres. He gulped and forced himself to focus on the road, trying to imagine all the ladies in the beach with nothing but their underwear but none could take his attention from the woman sitting beside him and casually putting on her cloth with no idea of how hot he had become.
• “So, I didn’t come home two weeks ago as we agreed because two of my colleagues wanted me to work for them and now, calculating their weekends and their off days, it means I will get to spend a whole week with you,” she said nonchalantly, putting on her jeans with her skirt still on.
• “What did you just say?” now that was enough to distract Nathan.
• “I said, that from today till next Sunday, I will be here with you. You have a whole week to do me as you want Nathan-Boo. That is the price of the sacrifice I made,” she winked at him.